Insurance Increases Expected

Maybe you have heard that premiums and medical costs are going up… it’s summer who cares, right? unless your are watching the stock market.

Insurance companies are not making the same money or profits if federal funding is removed or reduced for low income and disabled and whatever else. You will likely be impacted if you have a traditional insurance plan or medicaid, disabled or not, and what this means to APTC, the premium tax credit many are eligible for whether working for a company that offers insurance or assuming the full coverage yourself is not yet known.

More companies are considering offering a stipend or ICHRA instead of covering or contributing 50% or more of the health insurance premium on behalf of the employee which can vary wildly! Young workers cost a company much less. Many employers refer employees ‘aging-in’ to Medicare to Medicare and keep a cap on spending if you will. After all, Medicare Part B in 2025 is $185 a month and Part A is $0 for most. For more information on Medicare by appointment.

Back to under 65 health coverages that are expected to change and go up. Even more reasons to invest and intentionally use a gym membership or whatever gets your butt in gear, no matter how small, it all counts! Rumor is 25-30% increase in 2026 for the big medical carriers. Already, in the first half of this year MAPD (Medicare plans) are discouraging new enrollments to their $0 premium plans.

Comparing traditional insurance to other solutions for remedy or cure or comfort….

What is important to you for ‘sick’ care, treatment, cure, accommodation, freedom, cost, comfort, etc? truly think this one through. Five Wishes can help.

How much do you want to spend on yourself (healthy food, gym, trainer, vacation, rest, etc.) versus a medical insurance card? here is a worksheet to help.

How are you managing current conditions? Are there chronic symptoms that do not go away? DOCUMENT: what have you tried and what were you told. (please detail for your records and knowledge.) Then order a copy of all your medical records, you paid for them, right! What fun to read through huh? See if it matches your perception and what is going on…helping or not? true or false?

Now that you have more information about your current health, how you feel about care and treatment, and what you want to spend? Now we can match a plan or strategy to your basic needs and desired care and recovery. Just finding a health plan you can afford but doesn’t meet your needs is not helpful nor of much value.

Thankful to all that have a plan or strategy that meets your needs affordably and you know what to do when you need care and remedy, urgently or not.